McTabby, other cats need purrfect home

Dogs, cats and even horses sometimes come to the San Luis Obispo County Animal Shelter to receive better care. This is how McTabby came to the shelter.

McTabby is not a tabby but a handsome black-and-white cat who was living in a house with 26 other — all less than one year old — black-and-white cats. The conditions inside the house were unsanitary, and most of the cats were filthy and hungry.

Those cats that came to the shelter sick were moved to foster care; those that were undersocialized were rescued by Befriended Felines, and the reminder stayed at the County Animal Shelter.

After receiving some TLC, most of these cats are now healthy and available for adoption.

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McTabby, for instance, has reached a healthy weight and has already been neutered, so he’s set for a warm lap or windowsill to make the picture complete.

If a black-and-white cat isn’t your cup of tea, cats of all sorts and colors are available.In fact, a fine representation of our shelter cats — including a couple of McTabby’s friends — will be available for adoption at two adopt-a-pets happening from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Target Center in Paso Robles and at Wal-Mart in Arroyo Grande. McTabby and his cohorts have had a rough start in life.

Fortunately, the shelters of our county act as way stations for such homeless animals on their hopeful journey to better lives.

— Animal shelter volunteer Ellen Perryess

For more information about McTabby, ID number 163525, call the volunteer line at the San Luis Obispo County Animal Shelter at 781-4413.

The animal services shelter is at 885 Oklahoma Ave., off Highway 1 in San Luis Obispo.

To see more shelter animals available for adoption, visit www.sloanimalservices.com. The adoption fee is $70 for cats and $95 for dogs, plus a $15 county license fee for dogs if the adopters are San Luis Obispo County residents.

The adoption fee includes spay or neuter, basic vaccinations, microchip, eligibility for a free veterinarian check, new collar and ID tag, and carrier for cats.

Cat adoption day

The Feline Network holds cat and kitten adoptions from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m every Saturday at PETCO in the Madonna Plaza Shopping Center in San Luis Obispo.

Cats and kittens are spayed or neutered, tested and vaccinated prior to adoption. The adoption fee is $60 for one or $80 for two; a free vet examination is included.

For information on adoptions, low-cost spay/neuter, help with feral cats or to volunteer or donate, call 549-9228 or visit www.felinenetwork.org.

Club meeting

The Atascadero Horsemen’s Club will hold their first meeting of the year at Player’s Restaurant in Atascadero on Tuesday.

An optional dinner begins at 6 p.m., the program begins at 7 p.m., and the general meeting begins at 8 p.m. The meeting will feature members of the community groups who received financial contributions from the AHC during 2009. Visitors and prospective members are welcome to attend. For more information, call 703-3675 or visit www.atascaderohorsemensclub.com.

If you have a story and/or photo of your animal companions, please e-mail to pettales@thetribunenews.com or mail to Pet Tales, c/o The Tribune, P.O. Box 112, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406.

About Pet Tales

If you have stories or photos of your furry, feathered or scaly friend, please send them to pettales@thetribunenews.com or Pet Tales, c/o The Tribune, P.O. Box 112, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406. Like our page at Facebook.com/SLOPetTales.